Hinduism Beliefs About War

by Jayaram V

"O Kaunteya, if you are killed ( in the battle)
you will ascend to heaven. On the contrary if you win the war
you will enjoy the comforts of earthly kingdom. Therefore get
up and fight with determination. (Bhagavad gita 2.37)

"With equanimity towards happiness and sorrow,
gain and loss, victory and defeat, fight. This way you will
not incur any sin. (Bhagavad gita 2.38)

Hinduism is a peaceful religion. Hindu spiritual practices
aim to inculcate the ideal of nonviolence among its practitioners.
However, Hinduism recognizes the need for war for righteous causes.

Hindu warriors of ancient India were one of the most feared valiant
fighters of their times. They preferred to die in the battlefield
rather than submit to their enemies. Some of the toughest and bloodiest
battles of the ancient and medieval periods were fought in India.
If Indian kings lost their wars against foreign aggressors it was
not because they lacked courage or fighting spirit, but because
they were often betrayed by their own trusted followers and counselors.

In Hinduism, a war is justified when it is fought to uphold Dharma
or protect the weak and the innocent. All the Hindu deities have
a warrior aspect about them and carry weapons of various kinds.
When challenged by the Asuras (demons) they participate in wars
on their own or seek the help of other gods to join them in the
fight.

The epics and the Puranas are filled with the instances of wars
fought between gods and demons and sometimes between gods and gods.
When challenged, tradition dictated that a warrior should not withdraw
from fighting or show any hesitancy.

Indian warriors exemplified the virtues of the great warriors
portrayed in the scriptures. In fighting their battles, they followed
the examples of gods and legendary heroes. They would not turn away
from the battlefield except under extraordinary circumstances. Since
they believed in rebirth, they considered it an opportunity to die
in the battlefield and go the warriors heaven where enjoyments of
various kinds awaited them.

Numerous battles were fought on the Indian soil from the earliest
times. The Vedas refer to the battle of ten kings. Both the epics
narrate the great battles fought in remote antiquity. The kings
employed spies and kept a close watch on neighboring kingdoms. Often
they entered into matrimonial alliances to strengthen their position
and relationships. As part of their ambitious plans to expand their
rule, they often went on long and grueling campaigns travelling
hundreds of miles to engage their enemies in wars, which often lasted
for months and resulted in huge bloodshed.

Indian armies were large and consisted of several divisions.
They were well maintained, and the soldiers were well paid. Megasthanese
wrote that Indian soldiers enjoyed a special status in society.
They were honored and respected for their valor during peace times.
And when there was a war they fought valiantly with great spirit.
The archers used large bows with which they could penetrate any
armor and strike fear.

Indian kings employed elephants to create diversion among enemy
ranks and create confusion. The elephants were captured systematically
and trained until they were battle ready. They were served with
an intoxicating drink before they were marched into the battlefield
by trained elephant riders. Mechanized contraptions were used by
the armies during the time of Mauryas to throw large stones at the
enemies. The battles were bloody and the Indian soldiers showed
no remorse when it came to physical fighting. Indian swords were
made of special alloys and prized very much for their toughness.

Alexander personally witnessed the valor of Indian soldiers and
changed his campaign plans. Apart from elephants, Indians used chariots
and horses. Army commanders used numerous tactics to defeat their
enemies. They used several vyuhas or strategic positioning of the
soldiers in the battlefield to prevent the enemy from breaking in.

Certain ground rules were observed by both sides during a war,
until foreigners invaded the country and changed the rules and war
tactics. Night fighting was not allowed. A warrior would not fight
with an opponent if he was already engaged in a fight with another.
Stabbing from behind or hitting below the navel was considered a
dastardly act. After the fighting was concluded for the day, both
sides were allowed to look for dying and dead and clear the battlefield
for the next day fight. A war continued until one of the warring
kings was killed, captured or surrendered.

In ancient India wars were fought mainly by men. Women
rarely participated in them. However, warrior women were not uncommon
in ancient India. They were trained warriors and participated in
wars without fear. Some of them were employed for spying and killing
the enemies deceptively. Chandragupta Maurya employed many women
in his administration as soldiers and bodyguards. He lived in a
large palace guarded by women warriors. When he went into public
he was surrounded by them. The trend was continued by many kings.
Indian history is replete with the names of many brave warrior women
who fought for their land. Even Akbar had a hard time fighting against
Rani Durgavathi (1524 - 1564) of the Chandela Dynasty. Sri Krishnadeva
Raya, one of the most notable kings of the south had many warrior
women serving in his army. They also participated in contests and
the public display of their fighting skills.

Hinduism regards life not much different from a war. The body
is the battlefield, in which good and evil wage a relentless war.
The Bhagavad-Gita illustrates the point clearly. Waging a war in
life or on the battlefield is an obligatory duty, which cannot be
avoided. You must bring out your best to fight against evil and
subdue the enemy. Not fighting a war either mentally or physically,
when it is needed most, is bad karma. Similarly, engaging in it
with desires and expectations, especially evil intentions, is also
not good, since it leads to karma and bondage. The best way to fight
a war is with detachment, indifference and as a service to God.

The Buddha preached the philosophy of nonviolence and integrated
it into the Eightfold Path. The concept of not hurting or harming
others formed the core practice of many ascetic traditions of ancient
India. Those who renounced worldly lives, eschewed all forms of
violence aimed to live in peace and harmony. Many spiritual traditions
of ancient India, including Buddhism and Jainism made it an integral
part of their essential teachings.

The spiritual masters of ancient India advocated nonviolence
when violence was a way of life in many parts of the sub-continent.
The kings fought among themselves regularly, which reflected the
harsh realities of the time in which they lived.

Asoka was the only ruler in the ancient world who tried to introduce
the concept of nonviolence as a state policy. His law of piety exhorted
people to practice nonviolence. Unfortunately, his legacy was never
carried forward by his successors.

In Hinduism, nonviolence was practiced mostly in the spiritual
field. It is difficult to say that the people of ancient India were
nonviolent. Fighting was an art and warriors took great pride in
their fighting abilities. Defending one's honor, women and family
interests against evil was upheld as an obligatory duty. Non violence
as a creed became famous during the British rule when Mahatma Gandhi
took it as the means to shake the British Raj. However, Gandhi's
nonviolence, as he himself said, was not of the weak and timid.
It was the weapon of the courageous to face evil with equanimity
of mind. Gandhi was successful because he was both feared and respected
by the British. Both had a love for the law of the land. It is difficult
to imagine the fate of Gandhi and the Indian independence movement,
had India been colonized by the Germans, Spanish. We know from history
what these nations did to the people and their cultures when they
occupied their lands.

According to Hinduism, God is pleasant and indifferent under
normal circumstances. He would not interfere in the lives of beings
or their actions. However, when evil rises its head and begins to
oppress people, He incarnates upon earth to fight with it and restore
balance. Thus, God Himself sets an example to humans what to do
when they are oppressed by evil beings. Defending yourself against
evil doers is your duty and honor.

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